cat-like animals
domesticated cats are one of the world’s most popular pets for good reason: they can be affectionate at times, but they’re also often kept to themselves, giving their owners alone time without the extra attention and daily walks that come with it. Dogs are required. People are also drawn to cats because their flat faces, pointy ears, and almond-shaped eyes are universally considered cute and attractive.
other mammals that look like cats but don’t actually belong to the cat family are also found in a very limited number of human homes. Alone, these animals may resemble cats thanks to convergent evolution (the process by which some independently evolved animals share similar physical traits), but side by side, the differences are quite apparent.
1. spotted genet
Genets are slender carnivores that are indigenous to Africa, although the common genet, or small-spotted genet, expanded its range into parts of Europe due to human influence [8]. they are viverrids, not felines. There are 38 species of genet, including the great spotted genet (Genetta tigrina), the Hausa genet (Genetta thierryi), and the rust-spotted genet (Genetta maculata). although they are mostly carnivorous, feeding on smaller prey such as mice, insects, and lizards, they are also said to be omnivorous, consuming plant material and fruits [8][14].
these interesting animals vaguely resemble cats with their spots, tails, and small feet (although they do have claws that are semi-retractable [8]), but there is one obvious difference, which is their pointed face, which looks more like a weasel. -I like it.
Genets have many similarities to domestic cats; they hunt opportunistically on small rodent prey, are semi-nocturnal, are good climbers, but also hunt on the ground, and some pet owners even report that they purr. however, compared to normal house cats, genets can be extremely skittish, less affectionate, and poorly adapted to their home, therefore genets are pets for those who understand and accept them for who they are. genets resemble another member of the viverridae family called linsang [6], but are rare and not kept as pets.
2. Bearcat
Also called bear cats, these large carnivores are famous for their smell of popcorn when kept in captivity. also feliforms (non-cats) and in the same family as genets, viverridae, of which they are the largest species [11], have a somewhat cat-like appearance, but also resemble a hybrid between a cat and a sloth. these strange creatures are one of the only carnivores to have a prehensile tail [11]. Mostly nocturnal, binturongs climb, swim, spend some time on the ground, and are primarily solitary [11].
These unique animals are expensive and rarely seen in captivity, but the few people who have kept them as pets, who are mostly animal exhibitors, report being calmer and more relaxed around people when raising them from an early age. age (around 4 weeks) [12], so they are frequently used as animal ambassadors.
3. ringtail cats
The ring-tailed cat, also known simply as the ringtail, looks like a hybrid of a feline and a ring-tailed lemur, and while it bears a striking resemblance to the aforementioned genet, it’s actually a member of the procyonid family . making it more closely related to raccoons. This amazing creature can be found throughout the southwestern United States, northern Mexico, and even parts of Oregon [4]. They are nocturnal, although they are sometimes active at dusk. like genets, they are preferentially carnivorous, although they may have some omnivorous tendencies, feeding on small mammals, birds, reptiles, berries, and even carrion [4].
They are very rare in the pet trade today, although they used to be more commonly available. native wildlife laws would make them illegal in their native range, as well as in most states.
4. asian palm civet
this fascinating animal, although it is less common in the pet trade today due to very low captive-breeding populations (they are now rarely available in the us as house pets (along with sitka deer and kangaroos) [7] they are also known as the ‘cat’ responsible for expensive kopi luwak coffee, which is made from their droppings when they consume specific coffee cherries [10] civets have a flexible diet, consuming small mammals , eggs, reptiles, insects and flowers, although they are mostly frugivorous and also prefer fruits, seeds and sap [10].
Asian palm civets are reported to enjoy the company of humans when socialized from an early age [7]. they have characteristics similar to those of cats, but also resemble a mixture of other species, such as raccoons, of which they have a similar ecological role [10]. Unfortunately, it is also illegal to import them into the United States as pets due to their potential role in the past Sars pandemic, although this likely originated from a live food market [13]. like genets and binturongs, they belong to the viverridae family.
5. pit
This very strange mammal, previously unknown to most until the animated film Madagascar debuted, has the appearance of a small, skinny puma. The fossa, which is indigenous to the island of Madagascar, is quite rare in captivity and very uncommon as a pet, however imported animals used to be more commonly available in the past.
foats are extremely unique in that they are the only carnivore that specializes in hunting primates. they are excellent climbers but also hunt on the ground. They were once threatened with extinction but are now listed as Vulnerable as of 2019. However, keeping fossa in specialized breeding programs in captivity is beneficial to the species, both for educational purposes, as little is known about them, and to increase their populations for possible future releases [1][9].
6. American and European marten
As their names suggest, there are two species of martens that can be found in North America and Europe. both are small (about the size of a domestic cat), semi-arboreal, and nocturnal carnivores that are primarily solitary [2][3]. Martens are mustelids, in the same family as ferrets and weasels. sometimes they will also eat fruit and carrion.
These species are hunted for their fur and are rarely kept as pets, although the American marten can be found in private captivity. while they can be expected to have natural aggression, hand-raised martens that have been well socialized may have a decent disposition [5].
works cited
- dickie, lesley alexandra. behavior and reproductive physiology of the fossa (cryptoprocta ferox) in captivity. dis. queen mary, university of london, 2005.
- Ellis, E. 1999. “American Tuesday” (on-line), animal diversity web. accessed June 11, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/martes_americana/
- forder, victory. “Mating behavior in captive pine martens Tuesday Tuesday”. wild wood trust. August 2006.
- Goldberg, J. 2003. “bassariscus astutus” (online), animal diversity web. accessed June 11, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/bassariscus_astutus/
- jackson, hartley harrad thompson. Wisconsin Mammals. Wisconsin University Press, 1961.
- Kepner, b. 2003. “prionodon pardicolor” (online), animal diversity web. accessed June 11, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/prionodon_pardicolor/
- koene, paul, rudi m. de mol and bert ipema. “Behavioral ecology of captive species: Using literature information to assess the suitability of mammalian species as pets.” Frontiers in Veterinary Science 3 (2016): 35.
- lundrigan, b. and m. conley 2000. “genetta genetta” (online), animal diversity web. accessed June 11, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/genetta_genetta/
- lundrigan, b. and you zachariah 2000. “cryptoprocta ferox” (online), animal diversity web. accessed 14 May 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/cryptoprocta_ferox/
- Nelson, J. 2013. “paradoxurus hermaphroditus” (on-line), animal diversity web. accessed June 11, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/paradoxurus_hermaphroditus/
- schleif, m. 2013. “arctictis binturong” (on-line), animal diversity web. accessed June 11, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/arctictis_binturong/
- stupid, mindy. “the binturong information sheet“
- wang, l-f., and bryan t. eating “bats, civets, and the emergence of sars.” Wildlife and emerging zoonotic diseases: the biology, circumstances, and consequences of interspecies transmission. springer, berlin, heidelberg, 2007. 325-344.
- wemmer, christen m. “Comparative ethology of the large-spotted genet (Genetta tigrina) and some related viverrids.” Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology (1977).
© 2020 melissa a smith
